ABC News taps Thomas for Justice beat

Reporter covered Oklahoma City bombing for CNN

CNN correspondent Pierre Thomas will join ABC News, covering the Justice Dept. Thomas replaces Bob Woodruff, who left the post recently to serve as an ABC News correspondent in London.

“Pierre is an excellent reporter whose knowledge and insights will be of great value to ABC News,” ABC News prexy David Westin said. “He has covered some of the most important stories of the past decade and we welcome him.”

Before joining CNN as their Justice Dept. correspondent in 1997, Thomas was a reporter at the Washington Post, where he took the lead on the Oklahoma City bombing and the FBI’s role at Ruby Ridge.

“Pierre has made an enormous contribution in his three years at CNN,” said CNN’s Washington, D.C. bureau chief Frank Sesno in an internal memo distributed to CNN staff on Thursday. “We wish him well, even as we wish he weren’t leaving us,” Sesno said.

CNN will be looking to replace Thomas, whose last day at the news cabler is Oct. 13.